Ryan Hardie: Plymouth Argyle will not risk top scorer unless fully fit

Ryan Hardie came off after 75 minutes at Ipswich Town on 26 March

Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher says he will not risk playing top scorer Ryan Hardie over Easter unless he is fully fit.

The 25-year-old, who has scored 19 goals this season, has not played since suffering a thigh strain in last month's defeat at Ipswich Town.

"He's almost up to full speed," Schumacher said of the Scot.

"The next couple of days he'll get into his ball-striking, and if he can do that at 100% then he's in contention."

Jordon Garrick has been playing in Hardie's absence but the Pilgrims have scored just once in their past two games.

With Argyle five points clear of the sides chasing them in the play-off places with four games to go, Schumacher says he will have to deeply consider whether to bring him back as they face top-six rivals Wycombe on Friday and Sunderland on Monday.

"I explained to him yesterday that I don't really want him putting anything at risk because there's another three games to go and potentially another three after that.

"When you've got other people that can step in and perform there's no need to take a risk.

"He obviously is an important part of our team, he's our leading goalscorer so we'll give him every opportunity, but I don't want him to push it if he's not 100% right in his own mind."